'Cop' assaults model, scribe, consumes poison

When actress Farha Naaz lodged a complaint against the 39-year-old traffic home guard for harassing her, he allegedly beat up a journalist and consumed poison

The Navghar police have registered a case against a traffic home guard for posing as a policeman, in addition to molesting and assaulting a small-time actress as well as a journalist. The accused, identified as Ashwin Rajput (39), allegedly tried to take his own life by consuming poison when he learnt that he faced arrest, on Monday.

Dangerous Liaison: The accused Ashwin Rajput (below) allegedly introduced himself as a policeman and offered to help the model. However, when she gave him her number he started calling her up at odd hours and paying unwelcome visits to her residence frequently

According to the Navghar police, Rajput had introduced himself to one of the complainants -- actress Farha Naaz (22), as Yasin Pathan. Farha -- who works as a television actress -- met Rajput six months back, when she had gone to a showroom to purchase a two-wheeler. Rajput, who was dressed in his khaki garb, claimed to be a policeman, and promised Farha that he would help her find a better deal on a two-wheeler. Farha then gave Rajput her mobile number.

Some days later, she began receiving frequent phone calls from him. He allegedly also started frequenting the house where Farha and her mother reside, at least twice a day.

According to her complaint, Rajput soon began sending her lewd SMSes. On Monday, he barged into her house. When she resisted his unwelcome advances, he allegedly assaulted her. It was then that Farha decided to approach the police to register a complaint against him. "The man has been threatening and harassing me for the past six months. I stay alone with my mother and was therefore scared to approach the police. But when he assaulted me, I decided to take action," said Farha.

When a journalist approached Rajput to glean information from him at the police station on Monday, an enraged Rajput allegedly assaulted him and tried to shatter his camera. He left the station, but returned after consuming poison, and launched another assault on the woman and the journalist, even as they were lodging their respective complaints against him. When he collapsed, cops sent him to hospital for treatment.

"We have registered the case against Rajput for assaulting the two complainants, and impersonating a cop. He is in our custody, and is recuperating in hospital," said SPI Dinkar Pimple of Navghar police station.